Should Have Been You
by IAmHayleyDaughterOfAthena
Summary: It's Quinn's wedding. Her fiancé, Kevin is standing beside her. But it's not the way she wants it. She looks over to see Rachel standing in amongst the guests, tears filling her eyes. Will Rachel stop Quinn from making the biggest mistake of her life, before it's too late? Faberry
1. Chapter 1

**My third Glee Fanfiction. This time it is Faberry! I love this couple, and I really hope you enjoy this fanfiction! Big thanks to my incredible beta reader, RebeccaRipple, who is always willing to help. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee… yet. :)**

Quinn walked up the aisle, looking at her soon-to-be husband. She didn't feel anything. Where was the overwhelming joy that was supposed to be filling her heart? Where was the doubtless love that was meant to make her feel on top of the world?

He stood, a tall brunette. His face lacked expression, and Quinn knew that this wasn't what she wanted. What she wanted, what she needed was... She searched the room as she continued walking, and eventually her eyes met Rachel's. Rachel smiled a small smile, encouraging Quinn to keep walking. But in her eyes Quinn saw pain. A great sadness, which deepened with each step Quinn took. When she saw Quinn was looking at her, she averted her eyes; she couldn't cope.

Quinn felt sick to her stomach. For months she had planned this moment, but it felt so wrong. Kevin, her fiancé, did not hold a candle to Rachel. He didn't understand her like she did. He couldn't hold her when she was sad like she did. He couldn't belt out a Broadway song to make her feel happy like she did. In fact, there was only one thing he could do that Rachel seemingly couldn't; propose. That's why Quinn was at the end of the aisle, staring into those plain pale blue eyes, instead of the soft brown ones she had fallen in love with.

"If anyone has just reason as to why this man and this woman should not be joined in holy matrimony, please speak now or forever hold your peace."

I didn't expect her to do it. I thought she had moved on. But there she stood, making heads turn, as she said those two earth-shattering words: "I object."

Quinn's eyes closed, as if she were praying. There was a strange hush that fell over the room, and Quinn was sure everyone could hear her heart beating. Kevin's teeth ground together at this threat to his future with Quinn.

"On which grounds do you object?" The Priest asked, the tone of his voice clearly indicating that he was unfamiliar with what the procedure was in this unlikely turn of events.

Rachel took a deep breath, and locked eyes with Quinn. Rachel's eyes sparkled with tears, threatening to spill. It pained Quinn to see her this vulnerable. "I'm in love with the bride."

There was an outbreak of whispers, and the Priest cleared his throat. "That's all very well, but it is not reason enough to-"

"I'm pretty sure she's in love with me, too. I object on the grounds that Quinn doesn't fully love the man that stands beside her. That she cares for- is in love with- me." The sound from the quests was an overall gasp. Quinn felt the tears begin to form in her eyes, but she didn't move to wipe them from her face. There was silence, until Kevin took a shaky breath.

"Is this true? Do you love Rachel?" Quinn turned her eyes to Kevin's mouth, avoiding eye contact, doing nothing but blinking for a few seconds.

"I-I-I..." She stuttered, the truth too painful to tell.

"The truth, Quinn." His voice was rough and broken, full of pain and heartache, as if he already knew the answer.

Eventually green eyes met blue and Quinn spoke, so softly that even the priest could barely hear. But Kevin heard. To him, the words were as loud as the sound of a truck slamming into a car. "Yes."

Kevin's face fell for a second, before hardening and growing angry. He turned on his heel and stormed down the aisle, hands flailing everywhere in anger.

"No! Kevin, wait!" Quinn tried to stop him, but he was already gone. Quinn's lower lip trembled, and she walked towards where Rachel stood. Quinn's hand came in contact with Rachel's cheek in a stinging slap. As soon as she did it, Quinn wanted to take it back. But she couldn't. Rachel's hand flew to her own cheek, as if that will take the pain away.

Their eyes connected for barely a second, each recognizing each other's pain. Before either could speak, Quinn turned and walked out of the church, her heart heavy.

**I know it's short, but hopefully future chapters are longer. Please let me know what you thought, I would love your feedback, it means the world to me, and I will have a new chapter out sooner if you do.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey! Thank you SO much for the incredible response to this story! I am so glad you like it! You guys are so awesome, and I love that I am entertaining you. So thank you, so much. Big thanks to my incredible beta reader, RebeccaRipple, I am so grateful for her. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee… shame.**

6 years previous

_Quinn walked through the door, and saw Rachel sitting in one of the chairs. At the sound of her footsteps, Rachel looked up and smiled._

"_Quinn." She breathed, her eyes lighting up the room. Quinn was not able to conjure a smile in response. Her heart was beating loud, and she sat beside Rachel, her hair falling from behind her ear. Rachel's forehead creased at Quinn's silence. Quinn's breathing became choppy, and it took awhile for Rachel to notice that she was sobbing._

_Rachel's breath hitched and she put her arm around Quinn, squeezing her, holding her. Before she even knew what Quinn was crying about, Rachel felt her pain. She couldn't bear to see the girl she loved in agony. "Shh… It's OK. It's going to be OK." Her voice was gentle, cautious._

_Quinn sniffed softly and met Rachel's eyes. "I- I can't do it, Rachel. I tried- I was so close…" Quinn shook her head, the water drops leaving her eyes. Her face was red, her eyes puffy. Rachel placed her hands on Quinn's shoulders, calming her._

"_What are you talking about, Quinn?" Rachel spoke with as much calmness as she could muster. Quinn took a deep breath._

"_Kevin asked me out again, and when I said no, he asked why; and I thought, this is the perfect opportunity to come out and show everyone how proud I am to have you as my girlfriend. But I panicked. I opened my mouth and nothing came out. So I ran. I ran like a scared little puppy dog. And now you might not think I love you enough to tell everyone and-"_

"_Quinn." Rachel interrupted her girlfriend, as she knew this rambling would only make her feel worse. "Do you really think I don't know how much you love me? You're just not ready yet. I understand that. And I'm only going to be ready when you're ready. Don't rush it. Let it happen when it feels right. Until then, we can just keep helping each other through high school."_

"_Thanks." Quinn was no longer crying, and she held Rachel in a warm embrace. "I love you," she whispered in her ear._

_Rachel smiled against Quinn's neck. "I love you, too." She pulled away, and caught Quinn's lips in a kiss. It felt so right, so perfect. In a few weeks Rachel would be off to NYADA, and Quinn would be in Yale. But neither girl wanted to think about that. They just wanted to spend as much time as they could together while they could._

Xx - After the wedding

Rachel sipped her tea in silence. Her eyes were puffy and droopy and she wore a blue dressing gown. It was her favourite. The doorbell rang and it took her a few seconds to register the ringing. She stood up and made her way to the door, dragging her feet. She unlocked the lock and twisted the handle, opening the door.

Standing at her doorstep was none other than Quinn Fabray. Rachel swallowed. "Quinn." She said in an effortless tone. "Come in." She left the door open for Quinn to enter, and turned, leading her into the kitchen. Quinn looked around, smiling slightly at the memories that she associated with the place.

"Where are your dads?" Quinn asked, noticing they were alone in the house. She sat on a kitchen stool and watched as Rachel made herself busy around the kitchen.

"They're gone for the weekend, they'll be back on Tuesday I suspect. It's the first time I've stayed here for more than a few days since I went to New York. What beverage do you favor? Tea, Coffee?" Rachel's voice was unstable, as if she were just barely controlling her emotions.

Quinn saw that Rachel was stalling. She was trying to avoid the inevitable conversation about the wedding. Quinn didn't really want to talk about it either. But she had to. They had to sort it out. Whatever _it _was.

"Tea, thanks. You're wearing my dressing gown." Quinn observed, thinking out loud. Rachel fumbled with the kettle and looked down.

"So I am. I guess I never really let go." Rachel pulled a teacup from her overly organized cupboards. Quinn snapped at this display of lingering love from Rachel.

"Rachel. Why did you do that? I had been planning that day for months, and now Kevin won't even talk to me. You ruined- everything." Quinn's voice rose and Rachel's hands shook in anger. Quinn wanted to believe that she was in the right. That she loved Kevin, and Rachel was taking that from her. Even though she knew, deep down, that that wasn't true; it still felt better that she had someone to blame for her poor mistakes.

"Me? I ruined everything? I didn't even know you were dating anyone until a few months ago. And then, out of nowhere, I get an invitation to my ex-girlfriend's wedding? It broke me, Quinn. It really did. I didn't even know you and I were officially broken up. I thought I could handle the wedding, but seeing you, looking into his eyes, ready to say your vows… It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I needed to do something. I wasn't going to let you get away. Not again." Rachel took a breath and continued in a softer voice. "But, you know what? It's OK. When you set another date, don't tell me. It's best for all of us if I don't go. Tell Kevin it was all a lie and start over. You can go now."

Rachel still wasn't looking at Quinn, and her whole body was shaking with tears. Quinn couldn't bear seeing her like this. "But Rach-"

"Go." Rachel's voice was still soft, but very insistent. If Quinn was going to break her heart again, she didn't want to be there to see it happen.

Quinn left the room so quietly that when Rachel didn't even know she had gone until she turned -around, to find she was alone.

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Huge thanks to ****Sez21, Heatomad, Guest, ghostperfect, EmiLoud, EmiLoud, xAnonx (Guest), RVNola546, stingslikeabee, wagner710, Guest, and shawty721. My mum has been in hospital lately and your reviews have made me feel so much happier! So I thank you so much! Please review, it helps me through a rough patch and I love hearing from you guys!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey! Sorry about the long time between updates, but hopefully this longer-than-usual chapter will make up for it. Thank to everyone for reading, following and reviewing. Big thank you to RebbecaRipple, my incredible beta reader. I hope you all had a great Christmas!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee… but one day…**

_6 Years Previous _

"_Happy Anniversary!" Quinn walked into Rachel's bedroom; her smile so huge that she felt as if her face was splitting. Rachel's eyes fluttered open, but she squinted in the light._

"_Who is it?" Rachel inquired sleepily. She grabbed her blanket and snuggled further into it. She closed her eyes again, blinded by the sudden light._

"_Well, I'd hope I'm the only one who has a reason to say 'happy anniversary' to you." Quinn smiled playfully and sat on the edge of the bed, barely able to contain her excitement._

"_Quinn? What are you doing here? How did you get in?" Rachel opened her eyes fully, giving her girlfriend of two years a drowsy smile._

"_Your dads let me in. Get up, sleepy head; I've planned a big day today! First up: Vegan Blueberry Pancakes!" And with that, Quinn walked out of the room – more like skipped – leaving Rachel to get ready. Rachel smiled at her energy, and as she sat up in bed, she realized how lucky she was to have Quinn. She wouldn't have had anyone else._

Xx – After The Wedding

Quinn came home to an empty house for the second night that week. She knew she would never be able to patch it up with Kevin, mostly because she didn't want to.

The wedding was over; there were no two ways about it. How could you marry someone when you were in love with someone else? She didn't deserve Rachel, or even Kevin for that matter.

Quinn wished, more than anything, that they could go back to high school. A time when everything was simple, and made sense. A time when they would fight about meaningless things, and then come back to school the next day, having forgotten everything. Quinn couldn't imagine a future without Rachel, and that's what made the prospect of moving on so scary. But she had to. Not for herself, but for Rachel. Rachel needed to know that she could do so much better than Quinn.

Xx

Rachel moved back to New York, but things had changed. If she thought she was putting 100% into her studies at NYADA before, she was putting 170% now. She finished homework weeks before it was due, and even Cassandra July couldn't find anything to criticize about her dancing. She did it so that she would have no time to think about Quinn, but her plan wasn't foolproof. At night she would lay for hours, hating the fact that she let Quinn go - hating that Quinn could be in bed right then, beside her husband on their honeymoon. 'Our honeymoon', Rachel thought to herself, but she shook it out of her head. She still loved Quinn, but Quinn didn't love her. How could Rachel hate her for that?

Lies. Rachel Berry had told so many. Not for herself, but to protect Quinn. In high school, Quinn said if you didn't say anything, it wasn't lying, but Rachel knew it was. In high school, every time she looked at her fathers it was a lie. Every time she smiled at Finn it was a lie. And every second she had pretended to hate Quinn was a lie. But she did it for Quinn, because Rachel cared about her more than anyone in this world. So she waited. She would've waited until the day she died if it meant that she could love Quinn, and Quinn could love her.

But now, Rachel didn't even have Quinn. Quinn had Kevin. Rachel hated that Quinn could love Kevin openly, and not have to keep their relationship a secret. Part of Rachel wanted to be able to move on, as Quinn had. But the other part of her knew she would never find someone as right for her as Quinn. And now, every time Rachel told herself that she no longer cared for Quinn, it was a lie.

Xx

A month after Rachel had spoken at Quinn's wedding, Quinn broke up with Kevin. It isn't easy to break up with someone you were once willing to marry, or to explain why. It was harder still to spend days looking for them in hotels just to tell them it was over. But the hardest thing was deciding to go New York 5 months after that, to see Rachel's first role in a Broadway musical. It was incredible how far she had come in just 6 months. Quinn was proud in a way that she knew she shouldn't be, but that was what love was, wasn't it?

Quinn sat in the audience, nervous to see Rachel for the first time in 6 months. Rachel wasn't in the first scene, or the second, but she was in the third. Her part involved a bit of acting, but mostly singing. When she first appeared on stage, Quinn's breath hitched and she could feel her heart beating faster. Rachel was beautiful as always, and Quinn hated that she was so close, yet so far away from her.

Quinn couldn't help but smile when Rachel started to sing, as it brought back so many happy emotions and memories. Quinn was glad Rachel couldn't see her, she didn't want to see how Rachel would perform if she knew Quinn was there, she wanted to see her like everyone else saw her. She was so proud of Rachel, she had strived for this as long as Quinn could remember, and she had gotten it. It was obvious that she didn't need Quinn. Quinn had just been holding her back. 'It was better this way', Quinn thought, even if she didn't believe it.

Xx

After the musical, there was an autograph signing, where the entire cast came out and signed posters and programs. Quinn went, just for a glimpse at the girl she loved. She got there fast, and so she was really close to the railing. It was ten minutes or so before she saw Rachel emerge from the back entrance of the building. She had gotten dressed into a beautiful soft pink dress that reached the floor; her hair was pulled back to a loose bun, her side fringe swept across her forehead. Quinn had never seen anyone so beautiful.

For the millionth time in the last six months, Quinn wondered whether being apart from Rachel was really the best solution. And her conclusion, as always, was that Rachel was better off without her. Seeing Rachel up close was so hard. She was smiling, but Quinn could tell something was wrong. It wasn't obvious, but the way Rachel wasn't smiling the way Quinn knew she could, the way she held herself, told her that Rachel wasn't feeling completely happy. Quinn did know her better than anyone, after all.

Rachel was signing fast, and so she reached Quinn relatively quickly. She was about to pass her, when out of the corner of her eye; she saw the green eyes she knew so well. Shocked, she turned her head towards Quinn. Her eyes grew wide, and she lost the ability to speak. Without thinking, Quinn reached out and grabbed Rachel's arm softly. "We need to talk." Rachel nodded slowly, and used her pen to write on Quinn's arm.

"Here's my address. I'll see you at 9, I'll be free then." Quinn let go of Rachel and fell back into the crowd, like she was never there. It took Rachel a few seconds to remember where she was and get back to the autographs.

Xx

Quinn waited outside Rachel's apartment. She didn't know why she was here, or why she had agreed to talk with Rachel. She had nothing to say. Not really. Quinn no longer blamed Rachel for their semi-break up after they finished school, it was necessary. Thinking that maybe they would stay together during college was a long lost dream.

Finally Quinn saw Rachel appear around the corner holding a handbag, a troubled look on her face. Rachel looked at her apartment door and smiled slightly when she saw Quinn. "Hey," Rachel said softly, pulling out her keys from inside her bag.

"Hi," Quinn smiled back at her, although the smile wasn't completely genuine.

Rachel placed the key inside the keyhole and turned it, opening the door. Rachel held the door open for Quinn, allowing her into her apartment. Quinn looked around, slightly surprised at Rachel's newfound sense of style. "Nice place you've got here." Quinn observed, placing her handbag down on a nearby couch.

"Thanks. Kurt helped me with the decorating." Quinn nodded, now understanding. There was silence for a few moments, in which Quinn sat on a couch, and Rachel sat opposite her.

"You were really amazing tonight. It was so incredible. I always knew you would make it to Broadway."

Rachel nodded, but she was obviously distracted. "I'm sorry for what I said back in Lima." She looked into Quinn's green eyes.

"No, you were right. We should have broken up officially before I decided to marry Kevin. I should have told you. I just- I was afraid. I thought that talking to you would bring back feelings, and would make me change my mind. I was so confused. You don't understand, I-"

"I don't understand what? How you can choose to marry someone when you haven't said goodbye to someone who spends every moment of everyday waiting for you to call, or email, or maybe even visit? How you can marry someone when you haven't broken up with someone else, and then invite them to your wedding? You're right, I don't understand. But don't try to explain it to me. I've been through enough without having to deal with details of your marriage." Every word stabbed Quinn in the heart, because she knew it was all true. She hated that she did it. She really did. But somehow she couldn't bring herself to tell Rachel that she and Kevin had broken up.

"I am so sorry. And I know sorry is not enough, but I don't know what else to say. Except that I have always, and always will, love you." Quinn's eyes went red, and her body trembled as a tear slid down her face. Rachel was frozen at Quinn's words. Whatever she thought she was going to say, it certainly wasn't that. "I'd better go." Quinn said, standing up suddenly, grabbing her handbag. She turned towards the door.

"Wait!" Rachel exclaimed. Quinn turned her head, surprised. "Don't go; it's too cold and dark to be leaving now. Stay here for the night and catch a train back in the morning."

Quinn smiled wearily. "Thank you. I really appreciate it."

Xx

The morning had been slightly awkward, but after they had gotten used to each other, it was more enjoyable. Neither of them spoke of the wedding, or the break up. They were too tired of fighting. For breakfast, Rachel made toast for the two of them, spreading jam onto it, just like she used to do when they were together. They barely spoke to each other at all, except for the necessary: "What time is your train?" At eleven o'clock, Rachel drove Quinn in silence to the Grand Central Station. They got there early, so Rachel offered to keep her company until the train came.

"Quinn, could you tell me why you got married? I know I said I didn't want to know but I need to know for- for closure." Rachel's voice was broken. She was done fighting, she just wanted the truth. Quinn sighed.

"I couldn't wait forever, Rachel. I wanted kids, a family. You told me that a long distance relationship wouldn't work. You were right. And it wasn't like we were going to finish college and then move back to Lima. You were always going to go to Broadway, and even though I didn't want to live in New York, I realized how much it meant to you, and that you had been working for it since you were three. I didn't want to get in the way of that. Kevin followed me to Yale, he was there, ready to start a life with me. He proposed, and I said yes. Simple as that."

"But I still love you and every- everything we've been through together doesn't count?" Rachel was confused, and on the verge of tears.

"Of course it does. It's made me a better person. You've made me a better person. Our lives may not be going in the same direction any more but that doesn't mean I could stop loving you until the day I die. Please. Stay in New York. Become the greatest broadway star the world has ever known. I will always be your number one fan. You're amazing, Rachel, and you deserve much more than me." The train came and she walked on, not looking wanting to look back to see Rachel's face.

As Rachel watched the love of her life leave her once again, she couldn't help but think: 'I don't want more. I just want you.'

**I hope you enjoyed it! I really liked writing this chapter. HUGE thanks to ****ugh (Guest), Miss I DON'T know it all, zoe (Guest), Nikki Reeder, ghostperfect, Demahe, morte206, shawty721, pierce22, RVNola546, Ea (Guest)****, ****Sez21, ****and ****I'llbeyourhero for reviewing, it has meant the world to me, especially with my mum. I am so thankful, you guys are THE reason I write. I love you all, and please review, it makes me so happy.**


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